To Catch a Rat
by BlueRowley
Summary: Crookshanks heads out one night to make a deal with a friend in order to trap a common enemy. He only has one request.


Written for Competition: Pet Appreciation. Must be written from pet's perspective. Max: 1,000 words.

Word Count: 964

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I stretched out my front legs in downward dog then my back legs by rising into a cobra pose. I yawned, briefly cleaning my paws before strutting out of the girls' Gryffindor dormitory. I crawled up the stairs to the boys' dormitory, pushing open the third years' door.

Where, oh where, is the forgetful one's bed? Ah, there he is.

I jumped up on Longbottom's bedside table. There, on a small parchment, was a list of passwords scribbled in ink. That'll do. I picked up the parchment in my teeth, purring as the boy rolled over and snored. Jumping down, I left the boy's room and made my way back down the stairs, my soft pads silent on the cold, hard steps.

There was a large window in the common room that was slightly opened, and I jumped out of it, landing on a ledge. The rockiness of the castle allowed me to work my way down the tower to the soft, damp grass below. The stars twinkled above as I stalked the trail of a field mouse toward the forest before remembering why I came out here.

Turning around, I trotted back toward the school, maneuvering around the castle to the open Quidditch Pitch field. I jumped up on a bleacher and groomed my tail as I waited, the parchment trapped under a paw.

A large, shaggy mutt emerged from the trees, moving stealthily across the field toward the bleacher, its eyes reflecting green in the moonlight. He paused in front of my seat where we were eye level. He growled lowly.

"The rat?" his growls spoke to me.

"I've tried," I growled in annoyance, my tail puffing out. "That foolish boy is too attached, and my human isn't bright enough to understand basic cat language. Honestly, and she's the top of her class, they say."

"He got away?"

"It doesn't help when everyone's kicking me, sitting on me, and shouting foreign languages at me. Humans, I wonder sometimes. At least my own does her best to defend me, and right she is to. I knew she'd be the perfect human to take me from that shop."

"Enough about your human," the not-really-a-dog mutt spoke.

My fur bristled at his interruption, but I listened.

"I need to get into the castle again, the dog huffed, whining as he looked at Hogwarts. His eyes trailed up to wear the Gryffindor dormitories were. "I need to get back into the tower."

"Well, aren't you in luck," I purred, picking up the list of passwords in my teeth, slowly strutting across the bleacher with my tail straight up and the tip hooked. "What I have here is your way in. Every password used to get into the common room. And it's all yours."

The dog human followed me as I moved, watching me, his ears flattening slightly, his tail hanging low.

"A list of the passwords? How did you get that?"

"Silly boy who can't remember when he last ate left these on his bedside table," I said, sitting down and curling my tail around myself, the list still in my teeth. "Ah, I surprise myself with my own cleverness."

"Yeah, yeah," the dog sneezed. "Hand them over and I'll rid us all of that pesky rat."

"I like you," I admitted with a tilt of my head. "I know you are trustworthy."

"Then you will give me the list?" he asked with a wag of his tail.

"Of course. But you must promise me one thing."

His tail froze and lowered, and he tilted his head, curious as to what I would ask of him. His ears lifted, alert and interested. "What is this promise?"

I set the list down and placed a paw over it so the breeze did not send it flying away. I glared at the dog, growling.

"You will not hurt my girl." I hissed, swatting at the air. "You do that, and I will make sure you never find that rat imposter if I have to eat him myself."

The dog growled lowly, then huffed and looked back at the castle, his ears pivoting in different directions. After a moment, he sighed and looked back at me.

"I don't want to hurt anyone," his sad eyes said to me. "It is not who I am. And I promise you, I will do my best to leave your bushy haired friend out of this. So long as she does not get in between me and the rat."

"You will not hurt her," I hissed again, narrowing my eyes, "regardless."

The dog grumbled under his breath. He shook out his fur and sat down. He picked up a paw and placed it on the bleacher. "I will not hurt her," he said, "no matter what. I promise."

I leaned forward and rubbed against the dog's paw. "Thank you."

I pushed the parchment toward the dog and he gently picked up the list of passwords, wagging his tail as he thanked me and ran back toward the trees. I smiled, my tail up and hooked. I carefully worked my way up the castle once more, watching my climbing carefully as I made it back to the Gryffindor common room window, slipping inside and shaking out my fur.

Strutting up the stairs to the girls' dormitories, I found the third years' bedroom and pushed the door open. I climbed up on my girl's bed, kneading the blanket at the foot of the bed.

Hermione woke briefly, smiling down at me and reaching out to stroke my head and scratch that wonderful spot under my chin, purring happily. She yawned and fell back to sleep. I yawned as well, finishing my kneading and curling up, burying my nose in my tail, content and at peace.


End file.
